MenuKazakhstan has employed the time-honored practice of obtaining societal feedback by holding a referendum on October 6th, 2024, to determine whether it should begin constructing a nuclear power plant. With 64% of registered voters in the country submitting ballots, the referendum passed. 71.12% of voters voted in favor of building the plant, according to the
Category Archives: Russia & Eurasia
Energy Revenue Fuels A War-Time Moscow Boom
Hundreds of billions of dollars flowing into Russia from oil and gas sales are fueling Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine, and more. Unbeknownst to some diplomats and other decision-makers, energy export revenues drive the massive geo-economic polarization between East and West, as petro and gas dollars pour into the Russian tech sector. Russia’s capital—and especially
America’s Self-Inflicted Wound In Central Asia
In Central Asia, everyone appears to be moving to secure riches and interests. Japan has just conducted an investment summit with the Central Asian states to develop economic opportunities, China’s Xi is expanding business ties, the EU is inaugurating a new strategic summit, and Vladimir Putin will be visiting in November. The world understands Central
In a Dangerous World, NATO Must Restore Deterrence
In a time when the United States and the Western allies appear weak on the international scene, restoring deterrence needs to be Job One as the NATO 75th anniversary summit begins today in Washington, D.C. In the recent presidential debate, more energy went into bickering over who deserves to be president, and even their golf scores, than about what
China And Russia Now Dominate The Global Nuclear Trade
The global competition between the West and the rest takes many forms, including in the energy area. The nuclear energy industry has long been such a battlefield. Unfortunately, the U.S. and Europe are not doing great when it comes to winning bids in the developing world. In late May 2024, Uzbekistan signed an agreement with
Russia | Change of Defense Minister: Sergei Shoigu Moved to Russia’s Security Council
Dr. Ariel Cohen provides his commentary on BBC concerning a sudden change in Russia’s defense minister and Sergei Shoigu’s move to Russia’s Security Council. In this interview, Dr. Cohen discusses the implications of these changes and what they could mean for the war in Ukraine. Watch Here
New U.S. Solar Panel Tariff Intensifies Sino-American Green Tech War
The Sino-American trade war may be old news, but now a new battlefield is front and center: green tech. During her controversial visit to China, Secretary Janet Yellen made waves by criticizing China’s excess industrial capacity. Secretary Yellen warned the Chinese that retaliatory tariffs would be levied if this wasn’t addressed while simultaneously making the
Putin’s Information War Is Absurd—and Effective | Opinion
A terror attack on a Moscow suburban concert hall killed more than 130 civilians on March 22. The Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility that same day, followed by body camera footage to prove it. ISIS-K is a predominantly Afghanistan-based branch of ISIS, with a massive deployment on the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, which has a long
STEM Education Reform Needed To Compete With China
While the Biden administration’s ongoing quest to forgive student loans has repeatedly captured headlines, a far more significant initiative, Advance Educational Equity, infused in the language of racial and economic equity, fails to address a significant American weakness: the development of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, the fields that form the drive our modern world.
American Deterrence Is Failing In The South China Sea
One of Beijing’s enduring hobbies is accusing Washington of violating or abusing international law. This selective outrage is justifiably ignored, given China’s unwillingness to abide by international law and disregard for U.N. arbitration concerning demarcation in the South China Sea. “International law with Chinese characteristics” was easily mocked and ignored when American deterrence and international